Forest Works! seeks neighborly woodland owners

NEWFIELD — Forest Works! is seeking volunteers who love the woods and are willing to learn from others and spread the word about one of their favorite activities.

A kick-off meeting is set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, at Willowbrook 19th Century Village in Newfield.

Forest Works! is the working forest conservation initiative for western York County started by a dozen land trusts, conservation organizations and resource agencies.

The meeting in March will be an opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and help develop a local neighbor-to-neighbor program. The way neighbor-to-neighbor programs have worked elsewhere is this: Volunteers receive training in basic forestry practices, wildlife attraction techniques, landowner assistance programs, and conservation tools. Throughout the year, these people provide guidance and referral assistance to neighbors who request it. Volunteers are not expected to provide actual forestry instruction.

“We’d like to know how you think this could work in our area,” Lee Burnett, of Forest Works!, stated in a press release.

If you are interested, please attend the meeting. Forest Works! is inviting the participation of all kinds of citizens.

“We are looking for landowners and also for active community members who love the woods — men and women of different ages and backgrounds. Although residents of any town are welcome, we are focused on the towns of Parsonsfield, Cornish, Limington, Limerick, Newfield, Acton, Shapleigh, Lebanon, Sanford, and Alfred,” Burnett said.

For more information, contact Lee Burnett at 324-1596 or forestworksme@gmail.com or through the Forest Works! website.